Apparatus is known for carrying out specific operations in a garment assembly process, examples being automated sewing machines and apparatus for automatically removing a fabric play from a stack of fabric plies. Little has been done, however, to develop a system wherein the transfer of fabric pieces between workstations is automatic. Current garment assembly systems, therefore, remain labour intensive. Where more automated systems have been introduced, they are usually specific to the manufacture of one type of garment or garment piece.